The present invention is directed to a tree stand system for quickly and easily erecting a Christmas tree, straightening the tree, and later removing it.
Many tree stand designs have been proposed in the past for erecting and displaying Christmas trees both for home use and commercial use. These are exemplified by the stands shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,901,469, 4,399,973, 4,569,151, 4,699,347, 4,901,971, and 4,976,411, as well as by a stand sold previously under the trademark GRANDSTAND and sometimes referred to as "The Davis Christmas Tree Stand." All of these prior stands provide means for supporting a tree in an upright position and for permitting the tree to be straightened relative to the stand. Some or these stands, notably those having spring elements for engaging the trunk of the tree, enable relatively quick erection and straightening of the tree, but do not provide particularly reliable and firm engagement capable of maintaining trees, particularly heavy ones, in proper position over an extended period of time under external influences such as bumping or wind. On the other hand, those prior stands having firmer and less resilient trunk-engaging members, and which are capable of holding and maintaining both light and heavy trees alike in proper position over an extended period of time, do not enable as easy or quick erection and straightening as do the stands mentioned above.